[Image: Rebel Heart album]
Madonna has officially announced her collaboration with film-maker and Stranger Things exec Shawn Levy to develop a television series centred on her life for Netflix.
Previously, Madonna had intended to produce a biopic film in collaboration with Universal Pictures, featuring Julia Garner, known for her roles in Ozark and Inventing Anna, as the lead. The film was meant to be co-written with Diablo Cody, who was responsible for Juno but Diablo ducked out. Singer Sky Ferreira also revealed that she took part in the rigorous auditions at Madonna’s residence, dubbed the ‘bootcamp’ auditions.
Despite the challenges associated with getting the film off the ground, the forthcoming series will start fresh and won't draw from earlier scripts. According to reports from Deadline, it is likely that Garner will still be cast as Madonna, if she's available.
Last year, Madonna hinted at the potential shift towards a TV series, mainly because of how hard it was proving to raise the money for a film. Reflecting on her struggles in Los Angeles, she shared her frustration over producers and agents advising her to scale down her vision. 'I did not have a normal life,' she said last year. 'I cannot make this in the normal way.'
Shawn Levy's most recent film as a director was the blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine, which featured Madonna’s Like A Prayer.